We Need Help!
Judy Shrout • September 16, 2024
When I was in elementary school, a man was called to our church to shepherd the flock. Soon
after he arrived, he sensed that he could not preach and pastor AND do all the business
necessary in a growing church. So, the church instituted the committee system so that others
could fill in the gaps, and he could focus on preaching and pastoring. Everyone liked the idea.
Something similar happened in the early church. Let’s listen in:
But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-
speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their
widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve
called a meeting of all the believers. They said, “We apostles should spend our time
teaching the word of God, not running a food program. And so, brothers, select seven
men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this
responsibility. Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word.
Everyone liked this idea… (Acts 6:1-5 NLT)
The apostles were not saying the food program for widows was unimportant. Nor were they
saying the task of feeding the widows was beneath them. They were merely admitting they
couldn’t do it all – praying and preaching the Gospel, feeding the widows, and anything else that
might pop up in the life of the church. They knew their calling was to wholeheartedly teach the
word of God, and they were not to be distracted.
The apostles further emphasized the importance of the food distribution program by listing the
qualifications needed in those chosen for the task. There was no volunteer signup sheet – nor
were a bunch of names thrown into a basket and a certain number pulled out. Seven men were
prayerfully chosen – men who were well respected and full of the Spirit and wisdom – men of
good reputation, men of godly character and moral integrity, endowed with exceptional wisdom,
practical, trustworthy, having good sense. The apostles knew that the food distribution problems
could be resolved by men of good character.
As I was thinking about this process in the early church, it dawned on me that those
qualifications of godly character, moral integrity, and good sense really should be the standard
for any Kingdom work! And did you notice that Everyone liked this idea? How sweet when the
church agrees that the work of the church should be done by the body of Christ in the power of
the Holy Spirit – not by one individual. Let’s praise God for opportunities to serve and do it with
integrity and good sense.
By Judy Shrout
Nothing Will Be Impossible with God If you could go back in time as a fly on the wall, what Old Testament stories would you like to experience firsthand? I will spare you my entire list, but one would be Elijah vs. the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. After King Ahab had led Israel into idol worship, Elijah is sent on what appears to be an impossible mission. He challenges the prophets of Baal to the following contest. “Let two bulls be given to us, and let them (prophets of Baal) choose one bull for themselves and cut it in pieces and lay it on the wood, but put no fire to it. And I will prepare the other bull and lay it on the wood and put no fire to it. And you call upon the name of your god, and I will call upon the name of the LORD, and the God who answers by fire, he is God.” And all the people answered, “It is well spoken.” (1 Kings 18:23–24) What follows is a miracle of God filled with the wit, sarcasm, and bold faith of Elijah. He mocks the silence of Baal before calling on God to consume the offering. God’s people repent and the false prophets are destroyed. God accomplished the impossible. Throughout the Bible, God has a habit of calling His people to tasks that are impossible without Him. The Christmas story is no different as Mary is told she will conceive a son though she is a virgin. Gabriel’s announcement of Jesus’s birth ends with these words that echo throughout the Bible: “For nothing will be impossible with God.” (Luke 1:37) God is still in the business of accomplishing the impossible through His people. Though we can’t be certain of all outcomes or claim promises He hasn’t made, we can be assured He is at work. He is still changing lives, healing the sick, calling people to repentance, rescuing orphans, and saving all who call upon His name. God does all of this through His people. He has placed each of us on our own path with our own purpose and mission. Every day may not feel like a miracle or battle on Mount Carmel. But if we are obedient, He will call us to what seems impossible. How have you seen God accomplish the impossible in your life? What impossible prayers are you praying? When He calls you to the impossible, will you be ready? By Philip Jones Philip and his wife Stacy have been attending Immanuel since 2015. They are blessed to be raising four kids. His passion in ministry is to help others follow Jesus through teaching, preaching, and personal discipleship.
The Lord Is with You “Go back, Sam. I’m going to Mordor alone,” Frodo shouts as his boat drifts from shore. “Of course you are. And I’m coming with you,” Samwise-Gamgee responds as he wades into the water. As The Fellowship of the Ring ends, Frodo’s dangerous journey to destroy the ring of power in subsequent Lord of the Rings movies begins. His determination to go alone was only matched by Sam’s loyalty, a loyalty that refused to stay behind. The mission was too important. Even though she didn’t know it, Mary was about to be sent on a mission too important to go alone. Before she even gets the assignment, Gabriel begins with these words. “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” (Luke 1:28) The promise of God’s presence comes swiftly from his angelic tongue. I am sure Mary needed a calming reassurance in that moment, as angels don’t visit every day. But this initial promise is not just for her immediate comfort. Mary needed the promise of God’s presence to do the task she was being given. Gabriel continues. “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:30–33) For an unmarried teenager in tiny Nazareth, to say her assignment was beyond her ability to accomplish alone is a bit of an understatement. But believe it or not, we are not that different. The details of our assignment from God are very different from Mary’s, but they are just as impossible without God’s presence. He has called each of His followers to be His witnesses (Acts 1:8). We are to display His love in how we live, treat others, and share the good news of what He has done. Our lives, in word and deed, should reflect the grace we have been shown. That is no easy task, which is why I appreciate this promise from Jesus in Matthew 28:20. “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Be His witness today; He is with you. By Philip Jones Philip and his wife Stacy have been attending Immanuel since 2015. They are blessed to be raising four kids. His passion in ministry is to help others follow Jesus through teaching, preaching, and personal discipleship.
Blessed Obscurity Hodgenville, Kentucky barely has over 3,000 residents. Seated in Larue County, it is one of many obscure small towns in this world. But if you are a history buff, there is a good chance you have either heard of or visited this otherwise unknown town. Why? It is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. The Christmas story is full of small towns. We know of Bethlehem because Jesus was born there. And when we are first introduced to Mary, she is living her simple life in the obscure town of Nazareth. “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.” (Luke 1:26-27) We are familiar with the large role Mary plays in the Christmas story but today let’s pause to consider how insignificant her life seemed before Gabriel’s visit. She is a faithful Jew, living a very simple and normal life. Like most other young ladies in Nazareth, she was preparing for marriage and a family. She woke up each day, completed her chores, worshipped God, obeyed the law, enjoyed her food, and likely completed any number of mundane tasks. She was normal. She was obscure. God’s plan for her life brought her out of this obscurity, but that isn’t the case for most people of faith. We live in small towns and big cities. We work 9 to 5 jobs, own our own businesses, and enjoy retirement. We faithfully live to follow Jesus with little fanfare or applause. And that is the way it should be. In the middle of Christmas season, the busyness can distract us from our purpose to serve those around us. But if we can break away from the craziness, it is the perfect time to revisit our motivation for serving. “And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:44-45) The applause or recognition of man is not the reason we serve. We serve because Jesus came to earth to serve us through his death. And as we follow him, we will learn the greatest joy comes from serving from a grateful heart. How will you serve in obscurity this season? By Philip Jones Philip and his wife Stacy have been attending Immanuel since 2015. They are blessed to be raising four kids. His passion in ministry is to help others follow Jesus through teaching, preaching, and personal discipleship.
Your Christmas Priority “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold, and frankincense and myrrh.” (Matthew 2:10-11) The Christmas season brings so much joy and excitement as our calendars fill with holiday parties, shopping, and spending time with family. However, if these good things become the most important priority, then we will miss the true joy of Christmas. In Matthew 2, the wise men see the star of Bethlehem, the brightest light that leads them to Jesus. The wise men’s heart posture toward their Savior reminds us of the beauty of slowing down during the busiest time of year and worshipping the reason for the season. 1 - When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. When the wise men saw the light, they knew the prophecy had been fulfilled, the Savior they had read about and waited for had come. Their hearts were full of joy, which fueled their faith to follow the star for two years before finding Jesus. 2 - They saw the child with Mary his mother and they fell down and worshipped him. After waiting two long years to be in the presence of their Savior, their only response when they saw Him was to fall down and worship. I imagine the two-year journey creating doubt and frustration during the waiting; but when they finally saw Jesus, their hearts were full of worship. 3 - Then opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh. The wise men’s worship led to an open heart of surrender. They gave Christ the best they had of their time and gifts. What a precious reminder for us to surrender our time, gifts and plans to Christ this holiday season. To wrap up this passage in a bow, let’s reflect on this: finding our joy in Christ leads to acts of faith, faith leads to a heart of worship, and a heart of worship leads to a life of surrender. As you reflect, what is one area of your life this Christmas season where you need to slow down and refocus your joy on Jesus? By C.A. Carter
God Remembers
Fear and Doubt
An Unexpected Answer
Calm in the Chaos
A Long Silence
Reminders from the Heart of God I’m always honored to be asked to write a Saturday devotion, and my process is pretty straightforward. I pray and ask God what He wants me to say to people, and the devotion pretty much writes itself. Simple, right? This time was different. I prayed. He didn’t answer. I prayed a LOT. No response. Then late one night, He told me that this devotion is not what He wants me to tell others; it is what He wants to tell me. He knew I have been struggling with a situation and wanted to remind me of some things. My particular situation involves a prodigal. We have recently had some good developments, but also some setbacks and I was getting discouraged wondering if I was doing enough or even doing the right thing at all. Here is what God reminded me: · He’s got this · He loves them even more than I do · It is not my responsibility to “fix” anyone · I just have to keep loving them · His timing is perfect · My responsibility is to God and following His Will Maybe you have been struggling with a situation and wondering if you are doing enough or the right thing. It doesn’t really matter if it involves a prodigal or something completely different; I think my feelings are fairly universal when we struggle. Maybe His words to me will help you, too. If you are not part of a Community Group at IBC, I highly recommend that you find one. Our group has prayed for my prodigal and me for years and it is such a blessing to know that we are not alone in our struggles. And I get the honor of praying for them in their struggles and in their joys. By Jennifer Preston Jennifer and her husband, David, lead the Rural Kings Community Group from IBC Georgetown.
